Candidates can begin filing for public office Monday

PARKERSBURG – The filing period to run for office in the 2014 election begins Monday and runs to Jan. 25.

Candidates filing for offices that cover only one county file in the local county clerk’s office. In Wood County, the office is on the fourth floor of the courthouse. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The candidate filing period ends Jan. 25. The clerk’s office will be closed on that day and candidates filing that day can do so by mailing a Certificate of Announcement with a filing fee to the clerk’s office. As long as it’s properly prepared, contains the fee and has an official United States Postal Service stamp for Jan. 25, it will be accepted.

Candidates wishing to file for offices that encompass multiple counties must file with the West Virginia Secretary of State in Charleston. All legislative candidates must file in Charleston.

Offices on the 2014 ballot in Wood County include three Board of Education seats, the unexpired term of the Wood County Clerk, a county commission seat currently held by Wayne Dunn, Soil Conservation supervisor and executive committee slots for both parties for the state, senatorial district, congressional district and county.

Former County Clerk Jamie Six retired last year and and Mark Rhodes was appointed clerk Aug. 1 by the county commission. By code, the appointee serves until the 2014 election.

The winner of the 2014 election for the clerk’s position will serve the remaining two years of the unexpired term. In 2016 the office will be on the ballot again for a new full six-year term.

West Virginia voters also will elect a United States senator, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 17 state Senate seats and all House of Delegates seats.

The board of education and Soil Conservation Supervisor are nonpartisan and are elected in the primary.

Voters in the cities of Parkersburg and Vienna also will be asked to consider renewal of the levy for the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority’s Easy Rider bus system.

Information for those considering a run for office in 2014 can be obtained through the local clerk’s office or the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office online or in Charleston.

The county commission seat currently held by Wayne Dunn is up for election this year. The annual salary for county commissioner is $36,960, it’s considered a part-time job. The term for the county commission is six years, candidates must live in the open district, and must be at least 18 years of age. The seat that will be up for election in 2014 is for District C which basically covers south Parkersburg, and the southern part of the county. The commissioners run from their district, but are elected countywide.

House of Delegates members serve two years, minimum age is 18 years and candidates must live in the district covered by the office for one year prior to election.

The term for the board of education is four years, candidates must be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or GED and there is training required prior to taking office. The board members run nonpartisan and no more than two members may be elected or serve from the same district. New terms begin July 1. The primary is the final election for the BOE race.

Rhodes said there will be three board of education seats up for election this year including the seat now held by Lawrence Hasbergen who was appointed after board member Rick Olcott resigned.

Hasbergen served the unexpired remainder of Olcott’s term. The other BOE seats up for election in 2014 are held by Jim Fox and Tadd Wilson.

The residence of incumbent board members continuing in the office after July 1, 2014 govern which districts have openings.

“No more than two members may be elected or serve from the same district,” Rhodes said.

For more information on the boundaries of the districts and which districts are open contact the clerk’s office, 304-424-1860.

The term of office for the Conservation District Supervisor is four years. Candidates must be a land owner in the district and have education or experience in conservation. One supervisor is elected in each county within the 14 conservation districts in the state. Because of population, Berkeley and Kanawha counties elect two. For more information on this office, contact the West Virginia Conservation Agency at 304- 558-2204 or go online to: www.wvca.us.

Executive committee members are elected in the primary to 4-year terms. Candidates for State Executive Committees file with the secretary of state’s office. Candidates for District and County Executive committee positions file with the county clerk. When electing executive committee members, the two candidates with the highest votes are elected first and the other candidates will be qualified based on vote totals, gender and county of residence.